Biography
Elaine Agnew was born in Kilwaughter, Co. Antrim. She studied music at Queens University, Belfast and composition at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with James MacMillan. Chamber works include Statues, for violin and piano, premiered at the Wigmore Hall in London; April Awake, commissioned by the Belfast Music Society for Canadian soprano Catherine Robbin and pianist Angela Hewitt and Snow-Hole, a soprano and cello duet commissioned by the National Concert Hall.
Elaine's orchestral works include Slasp, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 for the 2003 Sonorities Festival; Albert's Clock for the opening night of the 2002 Belfast Festival at Queens (broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and televised on BBC 4); The Moon and Strings A-Stray, both commissioned by the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Her choral works include Kiss Me and Bread, the latter an RT Lyric FM commission for the National Chamber Choirs 2004 Autumn Tour. In 2002 Elaine visited Lithuania to hear a performance of her Missa Brevis by the Kaunas Chamber Choir. She was also resident at the Banff Centre, Canada and at the MacDowell Colony, New Hampshire as a recipient of an Arts Council of Northern Ireland Arts Award. As one of Irelands leading music educationalists, she is in constant demand for her innovative work in schools, hospitals and prisons.
Elaines current work includes commissions from the European Union Chamber Orchestra, a double violin concerto for the Irish Chamber Orchestras 2005 Shannon International Music Festival, a test piece for the 2006 European Brass Band Championships and a commission from the 2006 Axa Dublin International Piano Competition. Recent performances include Three Angry Men by the Rothko String Trio at the Bmic Cutting Edge Series in London and Slide, by Irish violinist Catherine Leonard in the Model Arts and Niland Gallery. Recordings include Jack in the Box by the RSAMD Wind Orchestra and Statues, by the new music group Lontano. Future performances include Ready, Steady, Go! by members of the Dublin Youth Orchestra, Strings A-Stray by the Ulster Orchestra during BBC NIs 2005 Summer Invitation Concerts and Mushrooming, by the Irish new music group Concorde at the 2005 London Spitalfields Festival.
Elaine was recently nominated as one of the twelve finalists for the British Composers Award, presented by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters in association with BBC Radio 3. |
